Top QB prospects

April 15, 2010 12:00 AM

Sam Bradford, 6-5, 236, 4.71, Oklahoma

An underclassman who has everything the scouts want in a big-time prospect other than a guarantee he can stay healthy. After suffering two shoulder injuries as a junior last season, some are concerned that health will always be an issue for a player who’s about to get more than $40 million guaranteed. Bradford has great size, an outstanding arm, a terrific understanding of the game and uncanny accuracy. He’s also a good leader. He’ll be the first pick in the draft.

Some scouts think this underclassman could have a free fall in the first round like Aaron Rodgers, who was drafted by Green Bay and is now one of the league’s best quarterbacks. There are questions about Clausen’s cockiness, meaning some see him as self-centered and egotistical. Others see him as a confident leader. He’s tried to shoot down those negative evaluations. He learned a lot under Charlie Weis at Notre Dame. He has good mechanics. He needs to improve accuracy on sideline routes. He throws a soft deep ball. He moves well, too. Should go in the first round.

A winner who has all the intangibles, especially leadership, but scouts worry about his size and durability even though he suffered only one major injury – the shoulder separation in the BCS Championship Game. He runs well, is extremely accurate on short- and mid-range routes. His arm strength is questioned by some scouts. A smart player who worked exclusively out of the shotgun with the Longhorns. He’ll need work on taking the snap, dropping back, reading defenses and making the right decisions. Should go in the second round.

Most scouts like him at quarterback, but some still believe he’s destined to play H-back or special teams. Because of his intangibles, scouts, coaches, owners – just about everybody – loves him. But they fall in love with him for the wrong reasons. He still needs work on his mechanics – throwing motion and footwork. Accuracy is a problem. He tends to lock on one receiver rather than doing checkdowns. He’s going to need a couple of seasons to develop, so he better go to a patient owner with a coach who knows how to develop quarterbacks. Should go in the second round but might last until the third.

A good team leader with outstanding size. Elevated his teammates to terrific achievements in college. He’s got a good arm, but his mechanics need to improve. His height allows him to see the whole field. He must do a better job of going through his reads to find the right receiver. Durability is a question. He’s accurate on most of his throws. He can slide to avoid the rush. Should go in the third round.

A four-year starter who had 102 touchdown passes and 36 interceptions, including 49 and 13 in his last two seasons. Since his freshman year, he never completed less than 65.9 percent of his passes. A dynamic team leader who prides himself on his in-your-face personality on the field. A good but not great arm. Impressive mobility. Very smart. Should go in the third or fourth round.

Began at the University of Texas and transferred to Ole Miss to make room for Colt McCoy. A smart decision. As a third-year sophomore, he threw for 2,762 yards and 26 touchdowns compared to 13 interceptions. Then he lost his best receivers, and they changed what he was asked to do, and he threw 20 touchdowns and 20 interceptions as a junior and declared for the draft. Has a tremendous upside. Outstanding arm. Scouts say he can make any throw. He’s mobile. Needs to improve mechanics and accuracy. Should go in the third or fourth round.

The El Paso native wasn’t highly recruited out of high school, so his uncle, Texans minority partner Javier Loya, took him on a tour of schools in the east. Skelton settled on Fordham, where he improved each year and became a small-college star last season. The scouts took notice. Some compare him to Joe Flacco. Skelton has outstanding size and a cannon for an arm. He can make any throw. He needs to learn to take something off the ball at times. He needs to work on his footwork. Because he didn’t play against top competition, he’s must adjust to the speed of the NFL. Should go in the third or fourth round.

An underclassman who has everything the scouts want in a big-time prospect other than a guarantee he can stay healthy. After suffering two shoulder injuries as a junior last season, some are concerned that health will always be an issue for a player who’s about to get more than $40 million guaranteed. Bradford has great size, an outstanding arm, a terrific understanding of the game and uncanny accuracy. He’s also a good leader. He’ll be the first pick in the draft.